Mercedes Mone Comments on “Tony Khan Saw Me as the Best Women’s Wrestler of All Time”
WQHT’s HOT 97 radio held a recent interview with Mercedes Mone. One of the topics discussed included Mone’s thoughts about her decision to walk out of WWE in 2022.
“Something didn’t feel right that day. How we were talked to didn’t settle in my heart. And I just instantly knew, like, if I wasn’t going to take control of my life right here and now, then I was never going to be happy there by having someone talk to me the way that they do or feeling like you just don’t belong.”
Mone also gave her thoughts about her decision to leave WWE and join AEW.
“It wasn’t just about me, it’s my family too. I financially support my brother who has special needs. I financially support my mother. So, for two years, not having a ‘stable’ income — you know, I’m still making money thanks for the other doors of opportunities of coming in. But really not knowing what was going to be next and if I was going to fit back into wrestling.
And I’m so thankful for a company like AEW and such a beautiful boss and leader like Tony Khan who saw me for what I am. And he saw me as the best, the best women’s wrestler of all time. He worked endless amount of years to try to get me and to get me down [to AEW]. He finally got me. The numbers were right, the conversations were right, the alignment was right, and the goals were aligned. That’s the biggest thing. I wanted the goals of what his mission was for AEW and the women’s wrestling in AEW. And I wanted him to know how much I care and how much I want to bring to women’s wrestling here in AEW. And the alignment was just there. And now here we are making magic.”
Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com
Billy Gunn Comments on Future of His AEW & Wrestling Career
A recent episode of the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast featured Billy Gunn as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Gunn’s praise of Will Ospreay and his thoughts that Ospreay would be a great choice for his retirement match.
“I don’t know what it is about that kid. I love him, I tell everybody that’s my retirement match. When I retire it’s me and Will, and he just said on some media scrum that he’s in AEW to retire me. Because his work really isn’t me. It’s so opposite of me. But I love him. He’s good. He’s very energetic. Just the stuff he does is amazing. He’s so athletic and could do so much stuff. But he has charisma with it and he’s very good at that. And I love that, I don’t know I just love that kid.”
Gunn also gave his thoughts about the future of his AEW and wrestling career.
“I mean, I’m not gonna go out there and go 25 minutes with Will [Ospreay], that ain’t happening. But do I still have equity in the company? Can I still bring something? Damn right,” Gunn continued. “I can because the minute I step out there those people go nuts and they start saying my name. So as long as I bring value and it’s not, you know, if I go out there and they go, Oh, God really? The first time I hear that I’ll quit. But as long as I can do something to help The Acclaimed or help the company or help my kids. Yeah, I’ll stay around. There’s no reason I can’t. I have no problem just being The Acclaimed’s sidekick. I love it. Because I get to run around talk to people act like a goofball interact when I want to and work every now and then.”
Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com
AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 News & Notes
AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Forbidden Door 2024 event this past Sunday reportedly failed to rank in the Top 20 for searches on Google that night, according to the Wrestling Observer. Dave Meltzer that the #20 ranked topic drew 20,000 searches. Meltzer also reported that there was an issue with Google’s chart for that night since UFC first charted with 320,000 searches for their UFC 303 event but then all of the UFC stuff has since vanished from Google’s list.
PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that Mercedes Mone and Stephanie Vaquer received a lot of internal praise within AEW for their match at Forbidden Door 2024. Johnson reported that AEW officials praised Vaquer for getting over so strongly with the live crowd for her work. Mone reportedly went into their match with the goal of “making” Vaquer and the feeling within AEW was that Mone and Vaquer hit the goal for their match. Johnson also reported that Vaquer had dealt with some travel issues and only arrived at the venue until the afternoon of the event compared to most of the talent who arrived in the city the night before.
PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources confirmed that Mercedes Mone’s story about actor George Clooney had gifted her a bottle of tequila at the event was 100% legitimate.
This past Sunday’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024 event featured Will Ospreay paying tribute to the late Hayabusa by wearing a special Hayabusa themed mask for his entrance for the AEW World Championship match at the event. AEW announced on Twitter that Hayabusa’s brother had sent a letter to them stating that he and the family felt very proud of Ospreay’s tribute to Hayabusa at the event. Takanori Eazki wrote “Hello, This is Takanori Ezaki, a younger brother of Hayabusa. I heard that Will Osprey would like to use Hayabusa’s costume and entrance theme for Forbidden Door. We, the family of Hayabusa, felt very proud. It’s been more than 20 years since he was injured in 2001. Many people still sent him their respects over seas. We greatly appreciate it. I wish the AEW wrestlers safety. Please keep showing us good fights, and be careful not to get injured. I also wish that both Forbidden Door and AEW will be successful. Takanori Ezaki“
Prior to his match at AEW and NJPW’s Forbidden Door 2024 event, AEW held a digital exclusive backstage interview with Will Ospreay discussing his planned tribute to Hayabusa for his match at the event. Ospreay stated “Back in 2022, I took out the daughter of Hayabusa and I asked for her blessing to adorn a very famous Hayabusa mask. I don’t know what their relationship was, I don’t know if she was a bit sad about the wrestling community, maybe? But I just wanted to make sure that I got the blessing for it. I took her out, and she gave me the blessing. The family all wrote in, they said that they’re so happy for me to adorn the mask. So I did it in Japan. It’s only right that I do it at Forbidden Door, with the crossover event. This is about celebrating wrestling culture, right? Well, this is the culture that got me into professional wrestling. So I can’t be happier. I hope I do ‘em proud.” Following the release of the interview, Hayabusa’s daughter responded on Twitter thanking Ospreay for his tribute stating “Thank You. I am so grateful.” Ospreay responded back stating “I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am to you & your families kindness for allowing me to share the love I have for your father’s contributions towards wrestling to an audience that would show their love and respect back. Thank you so much for such a special moment.“
Backstage Update on Why AEW Booked Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland at Forbidden Door 2024
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